Education Department
- Overview
The Department of Education maintains liberal arts-based teacher education programs that are accredited by the Minnesota Board of Teaching and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). These programs lead to recommendation for licensure to the State of Minnesota for elementary (grades K-8), secondary (grades 5-12) in communication arts/literature, health, mathematics,and social studies, grades 9-12 in life science, chemistry, and physics, grades 5-8 in general science, and K-12 specialist licenses in visual arts, physical education, music, and special education: EBD and LD. (Note: special education: EBD and LD are available in WEC only.) The K-12 Reading Licensure Endorsement is also available at the graduate level to already licensed teachers.
Degree and/or licensure programs are available in both weekday and weekend/evening formats. Weekend College degree and licensure programs are limited to elementary, communication arts/literature, social studies, visual arts, and special education. Additional teaching majors are available through the weekday program and open to weekday and weekend students who can take courses on a weekday schedule. All prerequisite, elementary core, and professional education courses except field work and student teaching are available on a weekend or weekday late afternoon/ evening schedule. Fieldwork and student teaching must be completed during regular weekday hours. All students must have some time available each term for field experiences.
A graduate level licensure option is available in weekend/evening format to those already holding a B.A. degree. Graduate courses taken for licensure can be applied to a Master of Arts in Education degree. Contact the Education Department or the Adult and Graduate Admissions Office for information.
Students in all degree and/or licensure programs must apply for acceptance into the education department prior to beginning 300-400 level courses. State law requires completion of the PPST-PRAXIS I exam prior to beginning 300-400 level courses. Criteria for acceptance into the education department are available in the department. Students complete a semester of full-time student teaching at the conclusion of their degree and/or licensure programs. State law requires passing appropriate exams prior to recommendation for licensure: PPST, Principles of Learning and Teaching Test, and one or more subject matter tests.
The education department offers nonlicensure majors in elementary education and education studies. Contact the department for details. The department also offers a special education minor which is described at the end of this section after course listings.
All students are assigned an education department adviser at the outset of coursework. All students are expected to become knowledgeable of programs and follow through with department policies. Handbooks outlining programs and policies are available through the education department.
